Pegmatite Dikes Research Articles

Silurian-devonian adakites and granitic pegmatitic dikes in North Qinling, China: Multi-stage magmatism and implications for the tectonic evolution

The petrogenesis and tectonic setting of early Paleozoic adakites and granitic pegmatites in the North Qinling orogenic belt are highly debated issues. Zircon UPb dating revealed that the Huichizi pluton is composed of the Early Silurian granodiorites, Late Silurian granodiorites, and Early Devonian granitic pegmatite dikes. The average εHf(t) value of pegmatite dikes was −2.8, which is lower than those of the Early Silurian (4.8) and Late Silurian granodiorites (5.1). It is worth noting that the Early Silurian and Late Silurian granodiorites exhibited adakitic characteristics and were formed through the partial melting of a thickened juvenile mafic lower crust. In addition, the Early Devonian pegmatite dikes displayed a substantial fractional crystallization. They were derived from the partial melting of mixed sources, including the crustal and mantle materials. The early Paleozoic adakitic rocks in the North Qinling orogenic belt can be categorized into four groups according to their c geochemical characteristics. The adakitic rocks of the first group (496–458 Ma) were rich in Na and exhibited extremely high εHf(t) values. They were formed by the partial melting of the Erlangping back-arc oceanic crust. The adakitic rocks of the second group (454–420 Ma) exhibited enriched Na or K contents and varying εHf(t) values. They were derived from the partial melting of a thickened lower crust with various mantle components, underplated by mafic magma formed during the subduction of the Shangdan Ocean. The adakites of the third (420–410 Ma) and fourth (410–400 Ma) groups were formed by the partial melting of a thickened lower crust under collisional and post-collisional settings, respectively.

Petrogenesis and tectonic setting of granitic pegmatites in the Beishan orogenic Belt, Northwest China: Evidence from geology, geochronology and geochemistry

The Weiboshan (Li-, Cs- and Ta-enriched) LCT-type Nb–Ta deposit located in Ejin Banner, Inner Mongolia, represents a newly discovered pegmatite-type rare metal deposit of significant interest. In this paper, we describe the petrography and present new mineralogical and whole-rock geochemical data and zircon U–Pb ages of ore-related granitic pegmatites in this deposit. Pegmatite dikes can be divided into three distinct zones on the basis of their contents: the K-feldspar graphic granite pegmatite zone (Kf), microcline graphic granite pegmatite zone (Mic), and albite–muscovite granite pegmatite zone (Ab). The pegmatite dikes and associated mineralization formed during the Mesozoic. Granite pegmatites in various zones display distinctive geochemical features characterized by high silicon contents, substantial alkali enrichment, and relatively low iron, calcium, and magnesium levels. These pegmatites are classified as peraluminous or quasialuminous and exhibit low total rare earth element concentrations. Notably, these pegmatites are enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILEs), such as Rb, K, and U, but depleted in high field strength elements (HFSEs), such as P and Ti. The progression from the Kf to Mic to Ab zones signifies the thorough evolution of the granitic magma, where the late-stage near-hydrothermal system assumed a crucial role in the mineralization of rare metals during magma differentiation. The Weiboshan pegmatites, which exhibit syncollisional attributes, are A-type granites formed through crustal partial melting induced by decompression. This process occurred against the background of postorogenic extension driven by asthenospheric mantle upwelling resulting from lithospheric delamination due to crustal collision and thickening.

Geochronology, geochemistry, and geological evolution of the Troiseck-Floning and Rosskogel nappes (Eastern Alps): unraveling parallels between the Eastern Alps and Western Carpathians

The Troiseck-Floning and Rosskogel nappes are part of the Austroalpine Unit in the eastern part of the Eastern Alps. The nappes are in tectonic contact and comprise Permian to Mesozoic lower greenschist facies metamorphic metasediments, but only the Troiseck-Floning Nappe consists of a pre-Permian crystalline basement (Troiseck Complex) as well. LA-ICP-MS U–Pb zircon ages, Rb–Sr biotite ages and geochemical data unravel the geological evolution of these tectonic units from Neoproterozoic to Mesozoic times. Detrital U–Pb zircon analyses from siliciclastic metasediments of the Troiseck Complex indicate a late Ediacaran to early Cambrian deposition age of the volcanoclastic sequence. The age distribution correlates with a position along the northeastern Gondwana margin. A late Cambrian crystallization age (502.4 ± 6.8 Ma) of granitic intrusions together with evidence for Late Cambrian/Ordovician magmatism and metamorphism indicate a position at an active plate margin. Polyphase overprinting during the Variscan orogeny is recorded by Late Devonian/early Carboniferous pegmatite dikes (~ 353 Ma) that formed after an early Variscan event, while Pennsylvanian ages of overgrowth rims and inherited grains (~ 320 Ma) are evidence for late Variscan metamorphism. Rhyolitic to andesitic volcanic rocks from the Troiseck-Floning and Rosskogel nappes (271–264 Ma) concomitant with intrusions of porphyric granitoids now transformed to augen gneiss (271 Ma) yield evidence for Permian rift-related magmatism that is widely reported from the Eastern Alps and Western Carpathians. Rb–Sr biotite ages (75–74 Ma) indicate Late Cretaceous cooling below c. 300 °C. This relates to Late Cretaceous exhumation of the Troiseck-Floning Nappe following an Eo-Alpine metamorphic overprint at lower greenschist-facies metamorphic conditions. Based on the similar lithostratigraphy, analogous geological evolution and structure, the Troiseck-Floning Nappe represents the lateral extension of the Seckau Nappe. The new dataset also allows for correlations with other basement complexes that occur in the Western Carpathians.

The Role of Peritectic Biotite for the Chemical and Mechanical Differentiation of Felsic Plutonic Rocks (Western Adamello, Italy)

Abstract The volcanic–plutonic connection plays a fundamental role for magmatic systems, linking crystallising plutons, volcanic activity, volatile exsolution and ore deposits. Nonetheless, our understanding of the nature of these links is limited by the scarcity of continuous outcrops exhibiting clear relationships between the plutonic roots that feed its volcanic counterpart. One way to better characterise the volcanic–plutonic connection is to quantify the amount of melt segregation within crystallising tonalitic to granodioritic plutonic rocks, and to compare those with recent silicic eruptions. Here we investigate the processes of interstitial melt segregation in the calc-alkaline Western Adamello pluton (Italy). The Western Adamello tonalite exhibits a coarse-grained, equigranular texture and is mainly composed of hornblende partially replaced by biotite, plagioclase, quartz and alkali feldspar. Within the tonalites, several types of schlieren textures, crystal accumulation zones and dikes are found, comprising: (i) hornblende-biotite-gabbros, spatially related to (ii) plagioclase- and quartz-rich leucotonalites; and (iii) quartz-, albite- and alkali-feldspar-rich domains forming aplitic to pegmatitic dikes indicative of melt segregation and extraction. Hornblende, biotite and plagioclase phenocrysts have essentially the same compositional range in the tonalites, gabbros and leucotonalites. Together with field observations, this indicates that deformation-driven crystal–melt segregation controls the modal variation within the host tonalite. The calculated melt in equilibrium with the primitive amphiboles has the same trace element composition as the host tonalite to within 5% to 10%, indicating that the tonalite did not experience substantial melt loss. Quantitative modal compositions and crystallisation–differentiation calculations suggest that the evolution of the tonalite is controlled by plagioclase and hornblende crystallisation followed by a biotite-forming peritectic reaction. This peritectic reaction can be written as melt1 + amphibole = melt2 + biotite + quartz + plagioclase and decreases the remaining interstitial melt fraction from 40% to 15% in a small temperature interval (~50°C), therefore, reducing the temperature window for large-scale melt segregation. The biotite-forming reaction initiates in weakly corundum-normative compositions in low to intermediate K calc-alkaline differentiation (e.g. Western Adamello and Peninsular Ranges Batholith, California), whereas it seems absent in intermediate to high K, clinopyroxene-normative melts (e.g. Tuolumne Intrusive Suite, California). This difference is likely controlled by the initial aluminium saturation index and the differentiation path of the parental melt within the middle to lower crust. Textural observations and mass balance models indicate that 75% to 88% plagioclase and quartz and 30% to 70% interstitial melt was mechanically removed from the Western Adamello tonalite to form hornblende-biotite-gabbros, whereas the leucotonalites result from the accumulation of 40% to 80% plagioclase and quartz. Of the emplaced 300 to 400 km3 of Western Adamello tonalite, only about 0.8 to 2.4 km3 represent rock types related to physical segregation processes, indicating limited melt extraction. Such crystal–melt segregation processes in tonalitic to granodioritic plutons are observed worldwide and facilitate the extraction of granitic liquids. This mechanism as observed in the Western Adamello tonalite potentially contributes to the accumulation of crystal-poor rhyolites and the segregation of metal-rich brines.

The influence of crystal chemistry on lithium isotopic fractionation in pegmatite minerals

The understanding of lithium (Li) isotopic fractionation controlled by mineral species, especially those containing trace or minor amounts of Li (e.g., a few to tens of ppm), is hindered by lack of knowledge about the crystal chemistry of Li-bearing minerals. In this study, we performed solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) experiments, employing the Li7 Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) to investigate the local coordination environments of Li in minerals and their impact on Li isotopic fractionation. Our investigation focused on four coexisting minerals sourced from the Koktokay No. 3 pegmatite dike in the Xinjiang, China, namely quartz, K-feldspar, muscovite, and tourmaline, which has Li content and δLi7 value of 14.6 ppm and 3.90‰, 19.3 ppm and 7.09‰, 430 ppm and − 14.2‰, and 108 ppm and 13.42‰, respectively. Muscovite displayed the lowest δLi7 value, whereas tourmaline exhibited the highest value, and a considerable variation of 27.62‰ in δLi7 value was observed between muscovite and tourmaline. The analysis of Li7 MAS-NMR spectra further revealed distinct Li coordination environments among these minerals. A notable counterintuitive negative correlation exists between the δLi7 value and the chemical shift for the four Li-bearing minerals. This negative correlation contrasts to the expected Li isotopic fractionation under equilibrium conditions, in which enrichment of heavy Li isotopes is accompanied with large chemical shifts in Li-bearing minerals. This unexpected observation can be potentially attributed to nonequilibrium conditions of crystallization of the investigated minerals, coupled with fast diffusion of Li6 in minerals, boasting abnormally high coordination numbers due to weak LiO chemical bonds. Essentially, our study suggests that Li isotopic fractionation among Li-bearing minerals in pegmatite can be significant and is intricately influenced by both crystal chemistry and chemical diffusion.

Petrological insights into connections between the S- and I-type magmatic associations in metamorphic core complexes: a case study of the Çataldağ metamorphic core complex (NW Turkey)

As one of the Cordilleran-type metamorphic core complexes in the western Anatolian extensional province and the broader Aegean region, the Çataldağ metamorphic core complex is composed of a granite-gneiss-migmatite complex and a synkinematic pluton, bounded by a detachment fault zone. The plutonic rocks within the footwall of the Çataldağ metamorphic core complex consist of Eo-Oligocene anatectic S-type leucogranites associated with gneiss-migmatite complex forming the core rocks and an I-type synkinematic pluton that emplaced into the core rocks in the Early Miocene. This paper presents the petrography, mineral chemistry, major-trace element geochemistry, and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope compositions of the Çataldağ I-type synkinematic pluton. It discusses the magma source evolution from the Eo-Oligocene to the Early Miocene and their relations to the Çataldağ metamorphic core complex formation by comparing two contrasting granitic associations from a petrological perspective. The Çataldağ I-type synkinematic pluton primarily comprises porphyritic granodiorite, granite, and peripheral rocks including evolved granite and pegmatite dikes. Thermobarometry calculations estimate crystallisation conditions of approximately 795 °C at 1–2 kbar (averaging 1.5 kbar), corresponding to a shallow crustal magma chamber (⁓5 km deep). The pluton is metaluminous to slightly peraluminous and of a high-K calc-alkaline character. The 87Sr/86Sr(i) and εNd values of the studied samples range from 0.70684 to 0.70772 and from −6.1 to −2.3, respectively. Pb isotopic compositions are 18.74–19.29 for 206Pb/204Pb, 15.69–15.78 for 207Pb/204Pb, and 38.89–39.39 for 208Pb/204Pb. Geochemical modelling shows that a large amount of metasomatised lithospheric mantle-derived melt component (up to 70%) and a minor crustal component (<50%) contributed to the source region of the magma. The combination of isotopic data and thermodynamic modelling suggests that the compositional variations within the pluton were primarily the result of open system processes, predominantly the assimilation of crustal rocks with a dominance of fractional crystallisation. The Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic signatures and trace element characteristics of I-type pluton, as well as their comparisons with those of S-type leucogranites within the Çataldağ core complex, indicate heterogeneous magma sources, evolving from crust-dominated to mantle-dominated magma from Eo-Oligocene to the early Miocene, reflecting mantle upwelling beneath NW Anatolia. We infer that the long-lived, mantle-driven Eocene plutonic activity that preceded the development of core complexes may have led to thermal weakening, melting, and crustal flow in the lower-middle crust beneath NW Anatolia, facilitating the formation of the granite-gneiss-migmatite complex during the incipient phase of extension in the Eo-Oligocene. Coinciding with the rapid exhumation of the S-type granite and migmatite complex, the formation and emplacement of I-type synkinematic pluton along the detachment fault zone of the Çataldağ core complex were developed as a result of asthenospheric upwelling driven by lithospheric removal processes. This inferred lithospheric removal was triggered by Hellenic slab rollback affecting the entire western Anatolia since the Oligocene. The transition from S- to I-type granites observed in the Çataldağ core complex and other Aegean massifs may indeed be a manifestation of the intensity or accumulation of this crustal extension.

Unravelling the genetic relationship between pegmatites and granites in the Jiajika Li-Be polymetallic district, Songpan-Ganze Orogenic Belt, Southwestern China: Insights from monazite U-Pb geochronology and trace element geochemistry

The Jiajika Li-Be Polymetallic District is located in the Songpan-Ganze Orogenic Belt, Southwestern China. The Li-Be mineralization is genetically, temporally, and spatially, related to pegmatites in the Jiajika District. Hundreds of pegmatite dikes were emplaced surrounding the adjacent Majingzi granite pluton. Drill core samples from the 3,200 m deep Jiajika Scientific Drilling project (JSD-1) were acquired to determine the vertical extent and the petrogenesis and metallogeny of the granites, and the pegmatites, respectively, and to obtain a better understanding of their genetic relationship. The vertical zonation of the pegmatites from shallow to deep is as follows: shallow albite pegmatites; albite-microcline pegmatites; microcline pegmatites; and deeper more albite pegmatite. Spodumene occurs mainly in the shallow albite pegmatites (55–105 m depth), and disseminated beryl, columbite-tantalite, and cassiterite, mainly occur in pegmatites at depths less than 700 m. Eight samples were selected for monazite U-Pb geochronology and trace element geochemistry analyses from pegmatites and granites at different depths. LA-ICPMS monazite U-Pb geochronology for the pegmatites indicates two episodes of magmatic activity; one at 211–205 Ma (2σ, 523–2,494 m depth) and another at 193–192 Ma (2σ, 3,170–3,211 m depth). The crystallization age of the older pegmatites is in good agreement with the monazite U-Pb geochronology of the adjacent Majingzi granite (208–205 Ma, 2σ, 1,265–2,568 m depth) within analytical uncertainty, indicating their close temporal relationship. The younger albite pegmatite (193–192 Ma) is associated with the columbite-tantalite Nb-Ta rare-metal mineralization. Compared to those in the deep pegmatites (excluding the younger albite pegmatite in 3,170–3,211 m depth), and the adjacent granites, monazites in the shallow pegmatites and the adjacent granites are relatively enriched in Li, Th, and U, indicating the continuous evolution of a felsic magmatic system; with the residual melt more enriched in various incompatible rare-metal elements. Hence, the monazite U-Pb geochronology and trace element geochemistry indicate that a highly evolved felsic magma plays an important role in the petrogenesis of the Jiajika Li-Be pegmatites.

Origins and evolution of two types of Late Triassic granitic magmas in the Caolong-Xiangkariwa area of central-eastern Songpan-Ganze terrane, northern Tibet: Implications for pegmatite lithium mineralization

Pegmatite-type lithium (Li) deposits are an important source of the low-carbon energy metal, which is generally considered to be formed by the high degrees of differentiation of strongly peraluminous granitic magma. However, the question of whether the parental rocks of these peraluminous magmas are igneous or sedimentary has been widely debated. Recent studies have identified a world-class pegmatite-type Li deposit belt (up to 2800 km long) closely associated with the Late Triassic granitoids and (meta)sedimentary rocks along the West Kunlun and Hoh Xil-Songpan-Ganze terranes in northern Tibet. This study presents a comprehensive petrological, geochronological, and geochemical study on the two types of Late Triassic granitoids in the Caolong-Xiangkariwa area of the Yushu region of central-eastern Hoh Xil-Songpan-Ganze terrane in northern Tibet: type A includes the Tongtianhe-Zhenqin-Zhaduo-Zhaya-Xiangkariwa (TZX) diorites and granodiorites (218−212 Ma), and type B includes the Caolong two-mica and muscovite granites (213−205 Ma), as well as ore-barren, beryl-bearing, and spodumene-bearing pegmatite dikes (209−196 Ma). The TZX diorites and granodiorites contain variable amounts of amphibolite and biotite. They are metaluminous to slightly peraluminous with variable SiO2 (54.4−71.3 wt%), MgO (0.72−7.26 wt%) contents, and Mg# values (40−70). Some samples with low SiO2 (54.4−58.5 wt%) contents have geochemical features similar to high-Mg andesites: e.g., high MgO contents (5.24−7.26 wt%) and Mg# values (61−70). The TZX diorites and granodiorites exhibit less enriched (86Sr/87Sr)i (0.7080−0.7118) and εNd(t) (−4.8 to −8.0). By contrast, the Caolong two-mica and muscovite granites are characterized by the occurrence of abundant muscovite (plus tourmaline and garnet) and are strongly peraluminous. The Caolong granites and pegmatites are geochemically characterized by high SiO2 contents (68.8−79.8 wt%) and low MgO contents (0.01−0.10 wt%) and Mg# values (4−23). They have εNd(t) values (−8.8 to −11.4; granites: −8.8 to −10.8; pegmatites: −9.2 to −11.4) that are more enriched than the TZX diorites and granodiorites but similar to those of Songpan-Ganze (meta)sedimentary rocks (−7.4 to −12.9), and the Caolong two-mica granites have high zircon δ18O values (11.6−12.1). In addition, decreasing K/Rb ratios correspond to increasing Cs contents in K-feldspar and muscovite from the Caolong granites and pegmatites. Taking into account the Late Triassic granitoids and (meta)sedimentary rocks in the Hoh Xil-Songpan-Ganze terrane, we suggest that the TZX diorites and granodiorites were most probably formed by the partial melting of metasomatized lithospheric mantle that subsequently underwent extensive fractional crystallization. Conversely, the Caolong two-mica and muscovite granites were likely generated purely by the partial melting of (meta)sedimentary rocks rather than via the evolution of dioritic-granodioritic magmas. In summary, there were two kinds of granitic magmas with different sources in the Caolong-Xiangkariwa area. Finally, the Caolong pegmatites were most likely formed by the extreme differentiation of two-mica granitic magmas rather than the dioritic-granodioritic magmas. Therefore, the evolution of magmas derived from (meta)sedimentary rocks were most likely to have formed the Li-rich pegmatites. Moreover, these (meta)sedimentary rocks representing the ultimate Li source must have undergone strong chemical weathering, resulting in significant Li enrichment.

Li-Cs-Na-Rich Beryl from Beryl-Bearing Pegmatite Dike No. 7 of the Shongui Deposit, Kola Province, Russia

Beryl is both an accessory and a rock-forming mineral in pegmatites that contain beryl, making it a major source of Be. Beryl-bearing pegmatites of the Shongui deposit, located in the Kola province of the Northeastern Fennoscandian Shield, hold beryl with a yellowish-greenish color. An investigation into the chemical composition of this beryl from pegmatite dike No. 7 has been performed for the first time via the secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) technique, and the chemical composition of the beryl-bearing pegmatites has been analyzed for the first time by the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) method. These pegmatites have high concentrations (ppm) of Be (11.8), Li (30.9), Rb (482), Nb (50.3), Ta (14.6), Cs (66.8), and Mn (283) and low concentrations of Sr, Y, Ba, rare earth elements (REE), Zr, and Th. In the Shongui pegmatite field, concentrations of Be, Li, Rb, Cs, Nb, Ta, and Mn increase from barren to beryl-bearing pegmatites, whereas concentrations of Ba, Sr, Y, and REE decline. Rb/Ba, Rb/Sr, and Zr/Hf ratios, showing the fractionation degree, change from the barren to beryl-bearing pegmatites: Rb/Ba and Rb/Sr increase from 111 and 0.46 to 1365 and 8.06, respectively, and Zr/Hf decreases from 18.9 to 14.5. The chemical composition of beryl from the Shongui deposit is unique. This mineral has a concentration of 25,300 ppm of alkalis (Li, Cs, K, Rb, Na) and the average Li, Ce, and Na content is 4430, 5000, and 15,400 ppm, respectively. According to its chemical composition, the Shongui beryl belongs to the Li-Cs-Na type, a type that is not recognized in the available classifications. It is supposed that this beryl was mainly crystallized in the magmatic stage rather than in any hydrothermal and metasomatic stages. Two beryl groups have been distinguished in beryl-bearing pegmatite dike No. 7: beryl from the intermediate zone (Brl-I) and beryl from the core zone (Brl-II). These beryls are concluded to have crystallized in the following order: Brl-I and then Brl-II. Compared with Brl-I, Brl-II is depleted in Cs, Na, Cl, and H2O and is enriched in Fe and Mn. The Fe/Mn ratio varies from 9.18 to 16.50 in these beryls and their yellowish-greenish shades are thought to be driven by a large amount of Fe compared to Mn.

MINERAL EXPLORATION IN THE VICINITY OF THE LATE EDIACARAN BOUTEGLIMTAPLITE AND PEGMATITE DIKES INIMITER INLIER USING ASTER DATA: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

In the southern part of the Imiter inlier, the early Ediacaran basement of the Saghro Group is crosscut by an important swarm of aplitic and pegmatitic dikes that display an extension of several meters and which can exceed 10 in thickness. They are distributed according to two main directions: NE-SW and NW-SE. Petrographic analysis reveals that the pegmatites and aplite primarily consist of quartz, plagioclase, K-feldspar, muscovite, biotite, allanite, and sphene. The BouTeglimt pegmatites, related to the large BouTeglimt granitic and granodioritic plutons, are exterior pegmatites type, hosted in the metamorphic country rocks. Pegmatite zoning is recognized at two scales: internal zoning, representing variations in mineralogy and texture within individual pegmatite bodies, and regional zoning, characterized by increased mineralogical complexity with distance from the granitic source. Using the ASTER sensor, the study investigated significant clayey, phyllitic, and propylitic alterations of the pegmatites, aplite, and their host rocks in the Imiter mine area. Field investigations and mineralogical characterization highlight four new mineralized zones in base and precious metals. These zones are commonly situated at the peripheries of granites or at the contact between the SG series and the late Ediacaran rocks of the Ouarzazate Group. The mineralization is observed in steeply-dipping veins along major E-W faults parallel to the Imiter fault, as well as in stockwork ore within tuffs, lapilli tuff, rhyolite, and disseminated mineralization within various Ouarzazate Group pyroclastic rocks. The ore mineralogy comprises sulfides and oxide minerals. Furthermore, the muscovite-rich BouTeglimt pegmatite and aplite can be considered an excellent exploration indicators due to their occurrence in fertile granites and rare-element pegmatites. They may hold potential as indicators of tantalum mineralization.

Magnetic Petrology applied to the characterization of Pegmatite Dykes in Eastern Colombia

In the sector of San Jose, Macanal, and Tabaquen, in eastern Colombia, granitic rocks cut by pegmatite dikes and quartz veins appear with the presence of magnetite, ilmenite, and ilmenorutile. Using magnetic petrology and geochemistry concepts and methods, the main objective is to determine if these types of rocks are genetically related and how the fluid chemically evolves during its crystallization and cooling. This work was conducted in three stages. Petrography and opaque metallography for identifying the occurrence, paragenesis, and secondary processes that transform the oxides. In a second stage and utilizing an Electron Probe Microanalyzer (EPMA), 214 quantitative analyses (WDS) and four compositional maps for magnetite, ilmenite, and ilmenorutile were performed, measu- ring the oxides FeO, TiO2, V2O3, MgO, MnO, Nb2O5, Ta2O5, Al2O3, Ga2O3, NiO, CaO, Cr2O3, SnO, and WO3. Since magnetite and ilmenite are favorable geothermometers that also allow the calculation of oxygen fugacity, the ILMAT program was used to calculate these values. In closing, integrate the data with the magnetic susceptibility values. The results determine crystallization temperatures between 358-414 °C for the granitic-host rock and 402- 499 °C for pegmatites dykes, in a system where oxygen fugacity increases, the Mn2+ is enriched in the ilmenite, and magnetite preserves a low content of trace elements thorough the evolution of the fluid. Taken together with the martitization and exsolution of hematite and rutile within ilmenite found in the petrography, these results allow us to conclude that an oxide-silicate re-equilibration process controls the evolution of this magmatic-hy- drothermal fluid with a KUIlB cooling trend-type reaction. Based on the Al + Mn vs. Ti + V ratio, the signature of the magnetite is like the Lucky Friday mine’s signature studied by Nadoll. However, the analysis of the 95th percentile shows a different concentration of trace elements in the magnetite of both sectors. Therefore, a new field of discrimination is proposed for this environment of anorogenic pegmatites of the NYF family. Finally, the magnetic susceptibility is controlled only by the abundance of magnetite in each type of rock. The granitic host rocks have the highest susceptibility values, followed by pegmatites and quartz veins with the lowest.

Evolution of pegmatite recorded by zoned garnet from the No. 9 dike in the Jiajika Li polymetallic deposit, eastern Tibetan plateau

Granitic pegmatites can be extremely rich in Li, an important metal for modern industries. Being the Asia’s largest hard-rock Li polymetallic deposit, the Jiajika Li deposit is associated with numerous pegmatite dikes in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The major Li resources in Jiajika are mainly hosted in fine-grained phases of pegmatite dikes. In this study, samples were collected from the typically zoned No. 9 dike, which inwardly consists of fine-grained albite phase, medium-grained albite phase, coarse-grained albite-microline phase, massive microline phase and massive quartz phase. Garnet is one of the common accessory minerals in the fine-grained albite phase. We report the first in-situ LA-ICP-MS U-Pb age of garnet from pegmatite dikes, yielding an age of 216.7 ± 5.9 Ma, which is consistent with the age of the associated granitic pluton. Combined with published isotopic dating results in Jiajika, two age groups can be identified: ∼210 to ∼ 220 Ma and ∼ 190 to ∼ 200 Ma, which are suspected to be resulted from two stages of thermal events, probably separate pulses of pegmatitic melts. The late pulse of melts might be responsible for the weak deformation of garnet grains and Fe-enriched rims along the deformed boundaries. The early pulse of melts derived from the Majingzi-Jiajijiami granitic pluton shows an indistinct time path from granite, to fine-grained phases, to medium- to coarse-grained phases, which resulted in the trace elemental core-rim textures within individual garnet grains. The garnet cores have typically higher trace element concentrations than the rims, and the boundaries between cores and rims are usually sharp and sinuous, which are proposed to record the amalgamation, dissolution and reprecipitation processes. The growth of cores was not in equilibrium with other phases by strong undercooling, and thus inherited the initial Li signature of the incipient pegmatitic melts, which can be up to 373 ppm. Accordingly, it implies that Li and other incompatible element contents of the incipient pegmatitic melts in Jiajiaka could be enriched in a significant amount at the early stage, which may, to some extent, explain why major Li resources are hosted in very-fine to fine-grained phases in Jiajika.

Polyphase deformation-controlled giant Renli Nb–Ta deposit, South China: Constraints from systematic structural analysis

The Early Cretaceous Renli Nb–Ta deposit was recently discovered near the southern margin of the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous Mufushan composite granitic batholith, central Jiangnan Orogenic Belt, and represents the largest known rare metal deposit in South China. Substantial breakthroughs have been made in prospecting the pegmatite-dike-type of Nb–Ta mineralization in the deposit, especially from the perspective of geochemical exploration. However, there is still a lack of systematic structural studies in this area which has seriously hindered the in-depth understanding of the emplacement of pegmatite dikes and the distribution patterns of Nb–Ta ore bodies. In order to shed new light on this key issue, this study presents new and detailed structural data from the Mufushan region. The results indicate that the Renli and adjacent areas have experienced several deformational events, including D1 Neoproterozoic NE–SW contraction and upright-folding, D2 latest Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous regional extension accompanied by granitic magma intrusion, and D3 Early Cretaceous brittle normal faulting and fracturing with granitic magma emplacement and Nb–Ta mineralization. The D1 event, corresponding to the Jiangnan Orogeny, formed regional-scale NW–SE-striking upright folds with ubiquitous subvertical S1 cleavages and subhorizontal L1 crenulation lineations. The D2 event represented orogenic exhumation and produced a domal structure cored primarily by gneissic/mylonitic rocks and granites and mantled by schists, which dominated the bulk structural architecture of the Mufushan area. This was followed by the D3 event which controlled the formation of numerous extension fractures in the study area. The Nb–Ta-bearing magmatic-hydrothermal fluids migrated along the pre-existing D2 shear zone and subsequently filled in the widespread D3 extension fractures to form pegmatite dikes. The D2 to D3 phases can be considered as a progressive exhumation event from plastic to brittle regimes. The D2 and D3 structures dictate the spatial distribution of Nb–Ta ore bodies.

The Hydrothermal Evolution of the Alvo Açaí Cu (Au, Mo) Skarn Deposit, Carajás Province, Brazil

Abstract The Alvo Açaí Cu (Au, Mo) skarn deposit forms part of several poorly explored copper deposits in the western sector of the Carajás province in Brazil. Here, a 2.86 Ga metasyenogranitic basement and a 2.71 Ga quartzite of the Liberdade Group are crosscut by diabase and granitic pegmatite dikes in the deposit area. The sequence of hydrothermal alteration at Alvo Açaí is marked by (1) early pervasive calcic-sodic alteration (hastingsitealbite) and (2) potassic iron alteration (biotite-almandine-grunerite) overprinted by (3) silicification (quartz), (4) prograde (grossular-hedenbergite), and (5) retrograde (actinolite-biotite-epidote) skarn stages. Late pervasive chloritization along with epidote-calcite veinlets crosscut the previous alteration zones. The main stage of copper mineralization (I) is spatially and temporally related to the retrograde skarn alteration for which three chalcopyrite-bearing mineral assemblages are distinguished on the basis of textural relationships and mineral associations: (1) actinolite-chalcopyrite-pyrrhotite-pyrite-magnetite-molybdenite, (2) biotite-chalcopyrite-pyrite-magnetite, and (3) epidote-pyrite-chalcopyrite-sphalerite. Minor chalcopyrite occurs along rare latestage epidote-calcite veinlets (mineralization II). The evolution of a single hot H2O-NaCl-CaCl2–dominated magmatic fluid of moderate salinity (22.8–28.6 wt % NaCl + CaCl2 equiv) toward a cooler H2O-NaCl fluid, with likely variable amounts of FeCl2, MgCl2, and KCl of low to moderate salinity (0.1–33.2 wt % NaCl equiv). Fluid evolution as a result of progressive crystallization of the granitic pegmatite was likely the trigger for mineralization I as supported by calculated δ18OH2O values from retrograde quartz. The chalcopyrite and pyrite δ34S values (–1.5, –1.1, and –0.7‰) point to a magmatic origin for the sulfur, which was most probably leached from surrounding igneous host rocks. The evolution of the Alvo Açaí deposit encompasses the development of the first copper skarn mineralization recognized in the Carajás province.

Fractionation and Enrichment Patterns in White Mica from Li Pegmatites of the Wekusko Lake Pegmatite Field, Manitoba, Canada

ABSTRACTThe Wekusko Lake pegmatite field in central Manitoba, Canada, is known for its multiple pegmatite dike occurrences, most remarkably its Li-rich pegmatites of economic importance. The Li-rich pegmatites from Wekusko Lake are the focus of this study and belong to the Green Bay group of the Wekusko Lake pegmatite field. These dikes were dated at ca. 1.78 Ga and were emplaced early during the D4 brittle–ductile deformational event. The results presented here describe in detail the pegmatite mineralogy, textures, and zonation of the Li-rich dikes of the Green Bay group, with emphasis on white mica chemistry. The aim of this study is to establish the nature and evolution of white micas from the Li-rich pegmatites of the Wekusko Lake pegmatite field in Manitoba. We aim to understand the differentiation mechanisms that allowed the high level of trace element enrichment observed in the white micas of the studied Li-rich pegmatites. Major and trace elements in white micas from a representative and well studied pegmatite dike were analyzed by electron microprobe and LA-ICP-MS. White mica compositions and textural evidence were used to define two different populations that seem to have been affected by magmatic processes (fractional crystallization) and a secondary episode of metasomatism. Fractional crystallization modeling of a granitic melt can explain some of the trace element enrichment, but extreme Cs enrichment cannot be explained via this mechanism. We interpret that many metasomatic white micas crystallized in boundary layers. Their compositions are controlled by the local melt composition, but aqueous fluids likely contributed to the development of the white mica textures. The substitution mechanisms at play depend on the type of trend and on the stage of evolution. Li enrichment without M2+ enrichment in metasomatic white mica grains is observed, and it is postulated that Fe3+ in white mica explains this behavior. The K/Rb ratio decreases in white micas with fractionation, whereas the concentrations of incompatible elements, such as Cs, Rb, Tl, Ta, and Li, increase. At Wekusko Lake, the Nb and Ta contents seem to be controlled in part by the presence of columbite group minerals and in part by crystallization in boundary layers.

Chemical evolution of micas and Nb-Ta oxides from the Koktokay pegmatites, Altay, NW China: Insights into rare-metal mineralization and genetic relationships

This study focuses on the differences in the mineralization potentials and genetic relationships between representative rare-metal pegmatites and the muscovite granite in the Koktokay field in Altay, China, as well as the possible roles that magmatic and/or hydrothermal activities played in enriching the related rare metals. To this end, the major- and trace- element compositions of micas, the major- element compositions of Nb-Ta oxides, and the Li isotopic compositions of Li-rich muscovite, lepidolite, and spodumene were systematically analyzed. The major element compositions of the micas in the No. 1 and No. 2 pegmatites are quite similar. However, the MgO (0.89–2.18 wt%) and F (0.66–2.01 wt%) contents of the micas in the contact zone of the No.3 pegmatite are higher than those of the micas in the No. 1 and No. 2 pegmatites. In addition, the MnO (0.37–0.46 wt%) and MgO (0.39–0.59 wt%) contents of the micas in the muscovite granite are distinctly higher than those of the micas in the studied pegmatites. The trace-element compositions reveal that the primary micas from the small No. 1 and No. 2 pegmatites have significantly lower Li, Be, Ta, and Cs contents and a narrower range of fractionation relative to those in the large No. 3 pegmatite, indicating a significant difference in the rare-metal mineralization potentials of these pegmatites. Moreover, there is a large difference in the δ7Li values of the Li-rich minerals in the muscovite granites (−4.37–0.07‰), No. 3 (4.3–6.81‰) and No. 1 (7.44–14.65‰) pegmatites. These results support the hypothesis that the muscovite granite and pegmatite dikes may have formed independent of each other, and that their formations were a consequence of multi-stage magmatic activities. In addition, the Nb-Ta oxides in the outer zones are mainly columbite-(Mn). The large differences in the Nb/Ta ratios of the columbite-(Mn) (1.83–14.91) and primary micas (2.22–10.41) in the outer zones could be the result of silicate-silicate melt immiscibility. Furthermore, the low Nb/Ta ratios (commonly < 5) of the bright overgrowths of the columbite-(Mn) may have crystallized directly from a hydrous alkali-halogen-rich melt rather than from a hydrothermal fluid. The distinctly higher Ta (39–167 ppm), Cs (275–579 ppm), and B (213–245 ppm) contents; considerable Li contents (400–554 ppm), and lower Nb/Ta ratios (0.5–3.2) of the hydrothermal micas suggest that hydrothermal processes played an important role in the additional enrichment of the related rare metals (e.g., Ta, Cs, Li, and B).

Petrological and geochronological investigations on the individual nappes of the Meran-Mauls nappe stack (Austroalpine unit/South Tyrol, Italy)

Abstract The Meran-Mauls nappe stack is part of the Austroalpine unit in South Tyrol (Italy). There it holds a special position directly in front of the Southalpine Dolomites indenter and west of the Tauern Window. It is situated in the hanging wall of the Southalpine unit, above a NW dipping segment of the Periadriatic fault system, namely the Meran-Mauls fault. Also all other sides are defined by Oligocene-Miocene strike-slip and normal faults. Based on recent mapping the Meran-Mauls nappe stack consists of three nappes separated by NW to NNW dipping shear zones. The lowermost nappe in the southwest is represented by the Schenna (Scena) unit. It is overlain along the Masul shear zone by a nappe consisting of the Hirzer (Punta Cervina) unit and the Pens (Pennes) unit including Triassic (meta)sediments. Separated by the Fartleis fault the St. Leonhard (San Leonardo) unit forms the uppermost nappe. The aim of this study is to describe the individual units and the separating structural elements more properly, based on new structural, petrological, geothermobarometric and geochronological data and to compare these units to other Austroalpine elements in the vicinity. Sillimanite-bearing paragneiss, minor amphibolite and quartzite as well as a distinct marble layer close to its base characterise the Schenna unit. Further, it contains pegmatite dikes, presumably Permian in age. Amphibolite-facies P-T conditions of c. 0.55 ± 0.15 GPa and 600 ± 100°C are thus correlated with a Permian metamorphic imprint. The Masul shear zone mostly consists of mylonitic paragneiss of the Hirzer unit. It is pre-Alpine in age and probably formed during the Jurassic. For the paragneiss of the Hirzer unit upper greenschist- to amphibolite-facies metamorphic conditions of 0.4-0.50 ± 0.15 GPa and 550 ± 70°C are attributed to the Variscan tectonometamorphic imprint. The whole Pens unit represents a shear zone. Due to the occurrence of Permotriassic (meta)-sediments within this shear zone, it is an Alpine structure, as well as the bordering Fartleis fault. Rb/Sr biotite ages yield sometimes partly reset pre-Alpine age values in the whole Meran-Mauls nappe stack, indicating a pervasive anchizonal to lowermost greenschist-facies metamorphic overprint during the Eoalpine tectonometamorphic event. Tectonostratigraphically the Meran-Mauls nappe stack can be attributed to the Drauzug-Gurktal nappe system. The latter forms the uppermost structural element of the Austroalpine nappe stack and thus only shows a weak Eoalpine metamorphic overprint. With respect to its special lithologic composition the Schenna unit can be correlated with the Tonale unit in the southwest and the Strieden-Komplex in the east.

Paragenesis of Li minerals in the Nanyangshan rare-metal pegmatite, Northern China: Toward a generalized sequence of Li crystallization in Li-Cs-Ta-type granitic pegmatites

Abstract The Nanyangshan Li-Cs-Ta (LCT) pegmatite is the largest of hundreds of pegmatite dikes in the eastern Qinling orogenic district, North China. The Nanyangshan pegmatite is strongly zoned into a contact zone, border zone, wall zone, intermediate zone, and core, with Li mineralization occurring predominantly in the intermediate zone. Inward through the intermediate zone, Li mineralization is divided into subzones of Spd (spodumene), Mbs (montebrasite), Elb (elbaite), and Lpd (lepidolite). Lithium minerals include spodumene, montebrasite, lithiophilite, elbaite, lepidolite, and possible former petalite. Paragenetic assemblages of Li minerals are variable, with spodumene ± Li-phosphates (montebrasite and lithiophilite), Fe-rich elbaite, lepidolite, and possible former petalite in the Spd subzone; Li-phosphates (main montebrasite and rare lithiophilite) + spodumene + Fe-bearing elbaite + lepidolite in the Mbs subzone; Fe-poor elbaite + lepidolite ± montebrasite in the Elb subzone; and lepidolite ± Fe-poor elbaite in the Lpd subzone. Whole-rock contents of Li2O, P2O5, B2O3, and F are consistent with the high contents of various Li minerals. Spodumene was formed first and dominantly from a Li-saturated melt in the Spd subzone (1.66 wt% Li2O). This subzone graduates into the P-rich Mbs subzone (3.75 wt% P2O5) with montebrasite gradually succeeding Li-aluminosilicates, followed by the appearance of abundant Fe-poor elbaite in the Elb subzone (1.04 wt% B2O3), reflecting the consumption of P in the melt. Lepidolite formed after early-formed Li phases in the F-rich Lpd subzone (2.03 wt% F), as indicated by replacement textures. Among the numerous LCT pegmatites worldwide, the Li mineralization sequence can be suggested as Li-aluminosilicates (commonly spodumene and less commonly petalite) → Li-phosphates (montebrasite-amblygonite and triphylite-lithiophilite) → elbaite → lepidolite, and can be regarded as a general sequence for Li mineralization.

Evolution and Li Mineralization of the No. 134 Pegmatite in the Jiajika Rare-Metal Deposit, Western Sichuan, China: Constrains from Critical Minerals

The Jiajika rare-metal deposit located in western Sichuan Province (China) is renowned as the largest lithium deposit in Asia, and the No. 134 pegmatite dike is the largest lithium pegmatite under mining conditions in the area. On the basis of a detailed characterization of textures and minerals in the Jiajika No. 134 pegmatite, two zones (the barren Zone I and the spodumene Zone II) and three subzones (Zone II was subdivided into microcrystalline, medium-fine grained and coarse-grained spodumene zones) have been identified. The detailed mineralogical characteristics of lithium minerals and other indicator minerals from each zone were evaluated by EPMA for illustrating the magmatic–hydrothermal evolution and the cooling path of the Jiajika No. 134 pegmatite. From the outer zone inwards, grain size gradually increased, the typical graphic pegmatite zone was absent, and spodumene randomly crystallized throughout nearly the whole pegmatite body. This evidence indicated a Li-saturated melt prior to pegmatite crystallization, which could be the main cause of the super-large-scale Li mineralization of the Jiajika No. 134 pegmatite. A comparison of the Cs content between primary beryl in the Jiajika No. 134 pegmatite and other important Li-Cs-Ta pegmatites in the world indicates that No. 134 pegmatite shows a high degree of fractional crystallization. The evolution of mica species from muscovite to Li-micas from Zone I to Zone II marks the transition from the magmatic to the hydrothermal stage in pegmatite evolution. The absence of individual lepidolite and the relatively limited scale of alteration of spodumene (&lt;10 vol%) suggest that the activity of the hydrothermal fluids in the system is limited, which contributes to the preservation of the easily altered Li ores and is also an important controlling factor of the super-large-scale Li mineralization of the pegmatite. Spodumene–quartz intergrowth (SQI) usually occurs partly along the rims of the spodumene grains in the Jiajika No. 134 pegmatite. Combined with the pegmatite mineral equilibria, the results of fluid inclusion studies of the pegmatite and the metamorphic conditions in the area, a constrained P-T path of the magmatic–hydrothermal crystallization of the Jiajika No. 134 pegmatite is proposed. The unusual steeply sloped cooling path of the No. 134 pegmatite could be attributed to the fast pressure drop triggered by the intrusion of a pegmatitic melt along the fractures surrounding the Majingzi granite, which could also be the dominant evolution process for other spodumene pegmatites with similar SQI features in the world. The feature of limited internal geochemical fractionation suggested by mineral-scale geochemical analyses of spodumene and micas, combined with the clear textural zoning of the No. 134 pegmatite, can best be ascribed to the effect of undercooling during pegmatite formation. This effect might be one of the non-negligible rules of pegmatite petrogenesis, and would significantly upgrade the potential of Li mineralization by minimizing diffusional Li transfer to the country rocks.

Post-collisional orogen-parallel extension in the Trans-North China Orogen: Evidence from syn-kinematic pegmatite dikes

Orogen-parallel extension is common in collisional settings, but its cause is debated. The Paleoproterozoic Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO) provides insights into the process of orogen-parallel extension. We present structural and geochronological data from pegmatite dikes in the Xiaoqinling region of central China to constrain the time and nature of Paleoproterozoic extension in the TNCO. The pegmatite dikes strike roughly E–W, have various dip angles, and are either deformed or undeformed. A progression from ductile to brittle deformation is commonly observed in the deformed dikes, suggesting synchronous orogenic uplift probably driven by isostatic adjustments. The deformation structures demonstrate that the intrusion of the pegmatite dikes was associated with a single phase of regional extension, thus making them syn-kinematic. Both ductile fabrics and fault-slip data from the dikes indicate that N–S (orogen-parallel) extension was responsible for dike deformation. Zircon U–Pb ages for the syn-kinematic pegmatite dikes constrain the time of extension to between 1840 and 1781 Ma, suggesting a duration of ∼ 59 Myr for the orogen-parallel extension. These data suggest that the extension postdated the syn-collisional shortening in the TNCO, which occurred between 1863 and 1840 Ma. The orogen-parallel extension, the synchronous isostatic uplift, and the intense magmatism in the TNCO are consistent with a gravitational collapse model in a post-collisional setting.